1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device for use with a portable telephone having an additional function to record and reproduce an audio signal and a video signal, for example. More particularly, this invention relates to an electronic device for use with a portable telephone which may become easier to handle by individually controlling a first function section for generating electromagnetic waves of a constant level and other second function section such that the first function section and the second function section may become operable and inoperable and vice versa.
2. Description of the Related Art
Heretofore, there is a portable telephone having an additional function to record and reproduce an audio signal and a video signal, for example. This portable telephone may include a section concerning a telephone function effectively utilizing radio waves and a function concerning a function to record and reproduce an audio signal and a video signal.
It is to be appreciated that a circumstance under which a portable telephone can be used and a circumstance under which an audio signal or the like can be recorded and reproduced are not always identical to each other. The following three cases (1) to (3) are known as the above-mentioned case:
(1) Use of telephones effectively utilizing radio waves is prohibited within a hospital;
(2) Use of electronic devices such as a radio receiver for generating electromagnetic waves of a level higher than a certain predetermined level is prohibited within an airplane during its flight; and
(3) Underground, mountains, or the like may sometimes exist outside of so-called telephone service area.
In the cases (1) and (2), it is necessary to stop the electronic device from generating electromagnetic waves. Also, in the case of (3), there arises a user""s need to avoid a limited battery capacity from being consumed uselessly. Although a power supply of the whole of the electronic device can be turned off in order to avoid the limited battery capacity from being consumed uselessly, in that case, the function other than the telephone also cannot be used. This situation may apply for the portable telephone having the additional function to record and reproduce the above-mentioned audio signal or the like and other portable telephone with a computer for handling data or the like, and a tape recorder having a built-in radio receiver as well.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic device which can be made easier to handle by individually controlling the operation and the non-operation of respective function sections.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device which is comprised of one of a plurality of function sections which generate electromagnetic waves of a level higher than a predetermined level, one of a plurality of second function sections which do not generate electromagnetic waves of the level higher than the predetermined level, a selection operation means for enabling a user to select a function section to be operated and a control means for individually controlling the first and second function sections based on the selection made by this selection operation means such that the first and second function sections can be operated and cannot be operated.
In this invention, the user can select the function section to be operated from the first and second function sections by the selection operation means. The selection operation means may include a single key, for example. When a user sequentially depresses this key, the selected function section can be changed repeatedly at a constant interval. Then, the control means may operate the selected function section. Thus, in the place wherein a use of an electronic device which may generate electromagnetic waves of a level higher than a predetermined level is prohibited, it may become possible for the user to use this electronic device by placing only the second function section in the operable state. Also, when the first function section is the section concerning a telephone function effectively utilizing radio waves, outside the telephone service area, the user can place only the second function section in the operable state, thereby making it possible to avoid an electric power from being consumed uselessly during the first function section is being operated. Also, when the first function section is the section concerning the telephone function effectively utilizing radio waves, the user can place only the first function section in the operable state, thereby making it possible to extend a time in which a telephone can be used as long as possible.
The control means may start the operation of the first function section after a predetermined time elapsed since the selection operation means had selected the first function section. Also, the control means may start the operation of the first function section after the operation state in which the selection operation means selects the first function section was continued during a constant time period. Also, the control means may start the operation of the first function section after the selection operation means selected the first function section and a confirmation operation means confirmed the selection. Thus, it may become possible to prevent electromagnetic waves of a level higher than a predetermined level from being generated by the first function section which is caused to operate immediately after the first function section was selected.
In this case, when the first function section is selected by the selection operation means, a message indicating such selection of the first function section may be reported to a user. A reporting means may include a character or image display device to report a message to a user by characters or images. Alternatively, the reporting means may include an audio output device to report a message to a user by sounds. Further, the reporting means may include a vibrator to report a message to a user via vibrations generated from the vibrator. Since the message indicating that the first function section was selected may be reported to the user, it may become possible for the user to previously confirm that the first function section may be placed in the state for generating electromagnetic waves of a level higher than a predetermined level.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device which is comprised of one or a plurality of first function sections which generate electromagnetic waves of a level higher than a predetermined level, one or a plurality of second function sections which do not generate the electromagnetic waves of the level higher than the predetermined level, a control means for individually controlling the operation and the non-operation of the first and second function sections and a setting means for enabling a user to set a function section operated by the control means before a power supply is de-energized.
In accordance with this invention, a user may use the setting means to set the function section operated by the control means when the power supply is energized next time. When the above-mentioned setting is made, the control means may operate the respective function sections in accordance with the setting when the power supply is energized. Thus, the user can avoid a troublesomeness for selecting the function section operated when the power supply is energized. Therefore, the electronic device may become easier to handle. In this case, the power supply may be automatically de-energized at a previously-set time.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronic device which is comprised of one or a plurality of first sections which generate electromagnetic waves of a level higher than a predetermined level, one or a plurality of second function sections which do not generate the electromagnetic waves of the level higher than the predetermined level, a control means for individually controlling operation and non-operation of the first and second function sections and an operation means for enabling a user to de-energize a power supply. The control means may place only the first function section in the non-operation state when the power supply is de-energized by the operation means under the state that the first and second function sections are operated simultaneously.
In accordance with this invention, when the power supply is de-energized under the state that the first and second function sections are operated simultaneously, only the first function section which may generate the electromagnetic waves of the level higher than the predetermined level may be placed in the non-operation state. Thus, when a user enters an area in which the generation of the electromagnetic waves of the level higher than the predetermined level is prohibited, it may become possible for the user to stop the generation of the electromagnetic waves of the level higher than the predetermined level only by de-energizing the power supply without stopping the operation of the second function section which may record and reproduce an audio signal and a video signal, for example. Thus, the electronic device according to the present invention can become easier to handle.